Kolkata flyover crash: Another plea in HC seeking probe

Kolkata, April 6 (IANS) Questioning the tendering process of the project, a petition was filed before the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday seeking a probe into the Vivekananda Road flyover collapse which killed 26 people.

Filed before the bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur, the public interest litigation also seeks monetary compensation from the union government for the victims.

A large chunk of the under-construction flyover collapsed on March 31 in the busy Posta area, trapping scores of people underneath.

Originally planned in the beginning of the last decade under the JNNURM, the foundation for the project was laid in 2008 and the work began in February 2009.

“Despite the Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) of the union ministry of urban development objecting to the project in 2008, the tendering process was completed in haste.

“There are several documents to show, the project was ill conceived and despite being plagued by numerous delays, it has been continued. So we have sought formation of a committee which will probe the entire project under the supervision of the court,” petitioner R.P. Sarkar said.

The petition also calls for probing the role of the urban development ministry.

Progress of all JNNURM projects is assessed on a monthly basis. Inexplicably, this project, which was scheduled to be finished in October 2011, was allowed numerous deferrals.

“Moreover, traffic movement below under-construction projects is usually prohibited. Had it been done, the massive loss of life could have been prevented. We have also sought how and who gave this permission,” added Sarkar.

On April 1, another PIL was filed before the Calcutta High Court seeking a court monitored CBI probe into the tragedy.